The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-01
A NEW FURNITURE CRAZE
wHICH IN TAKING THE PLACE
OF COSTLY CARVINGS.
How, Careful BOusekeepers Can
Decorate for Tbemselves and
Make the Old t0e New.

New York Mail and ErpresS: No
sooner had we furnished our houses
in somber colors with dark mahog-
any aud early English furniture of
black oak, which appeared worm
eaten, il it really was not, when, 10 !
the dealers inaugurate perfect craze
in white furniture, light colored up
holstered goods, and from the dig
nifed and aristocratic English or
colonial styles we become imbued
with the period Of Louis Quinze.
However, Che dark rich furniture is
too beautiful to give up without a
struggle, and fashion now dictates
that those who can afford it shall
have each room in their residence
furnished to represent not only dis
tinct period, but certain country as
we'll. Thus we have English rooms,
French rooms, colonial, Egyptian
and Japanese apartments, according
to the purse or fancy. The first
white room" built in New York Of
any prominence is the music room in
the Willard mansion, now owned
and occupied by Mr.. Whitelaw Reid.
The floor is highly polished in light
colored woods, and the entire apart
ment is of ivory white, picked out
with gold, and in the panels Of the
walls medallions of lutes, ribbons
and scrolls of music. A handsome
white room" has the floor Of pol
ished wood, with here and there a
white Astrakhan rug; the furniture is
of white, picked out with gold, up
holstered in bright satin brocade;
the curtains and other draperies are
of white plush, embroidered with
gold; the picture frames are white
and gold, white easel stands in one
corner and a white and gold piano.
1t makes a most beautiful apart
ment. Not long ago the writer
described this room to a clever young
wife who lives in an adjacent town.
She has comparatively little money,
but excellent taste; recently,
she invited me to see her
white room," which she sur,
prised me by stating was all
the result of her own ingenuity and
cost but little. The wood floor had
been stained and polished to look
like cherry, and several white fox
rugs, which cost about 50 90, were
laid here and there. She had bought
several of the tripod legged tables
with pine tops. The legs she painted
white with gilt lines, using the liquid
gliding. The tops were covered with
white plush, and another with white
felt, with velvet satin bows at the
corners and gold fringe. She also
made a mantel scarf of white plush
trimmed with yellow bows. An old
fashioned high backed kitchen chair
she painted white and made for it a
yellow plush cushion. One of the
ordinary Shaker rocking chairs was
also painted white and gold, and
over the red and black braided seat
she had tackled white felt, with some
yellow flowers embroidered upon it
while the back was decorated
with a yellow Chinese silk scarf
Plants grew in common flower pots
painted white; an easel was made o.
pine, painted white, while over the
manyel was an old fashioned ova
mirror, such as were used ffteer
years ago. Between windows she
had hung the mirror leugthwise' anC
painted its common black walnu
frame white. looping a white sill
scarf, with gold figures, around it. A
milking stool, also painted white
with a bunch Of yellow flowers
painted upon the seat, stood in a cor
ner; at the windows were whit,
China silk curtains, tied back witt
yellow bows. These curtains, beint
Of the same material as silk handker
chiefs, of course, wash as well, Ole
disused walnut picture frames wer'
painted and gided to match th,
other articles. And beautiful wal
bracket was made of a square of pint
board, to which was nailed three
little shelves put on irregularly like
three steps. This also was painted
white, gilded on the edges Of thu
shelves, and hung up by screv
eyes, which were concealed by vel
low bows-a pretty yellow. a
Leeds vase was one of the ornaments
a white candlestick which held a vel
low, twisted candle, a choice bit o
Royal Worcester, which were among
the possessions, and, of course, othe
ornaments about the apartment. a
bird sang in brass cage, harmonic
ing with the decorations. The effec
was like fairyland, and in spite o
this fact the pretty owner of all In
formed me that this charming result
was reached at cost not exceeding
$25, 1t would be difficult to sa,
= which was the more beautiful, tn
white room, with its gorgeousnes
aud white piano, which apartment
cost in the neighborhood of $1,000
;, or that of the pretty young. house
: wife who, with little money but mucl
taste and industry, had created a.
apartment unique, beautiful and
, better than all, showing her own In
: dividualitv.
A